THE PRETENDER

When a waitress in Ohio asked to see a customer's driver's license, she was shocked when she saw the photo on the ID. It was her own picture! The waitress had lost her driver's license a month earlier, and this young woman was using it so she'd have "proof" she was old enough to drink alcohol. The police were called, and the customer was arrested for identity theft. Trying to gain what she wanted, she pretended to be someone she wasn't.

I know what it’s like to pretend to be someone I’m not.  It’s no fun.  It’s lonely for one thing.  And it’s scary.  When my first child was born I didn’t bond with her.  In fact, I suspected she was going to take my husband’s affections away from me.  At one point I was going to kill her, but God protected both of us.  God brought me through a difficult case of postpartum psychosis without doing harm to myself or my baby.  But I was alone through all this because how do you tell someone that you want to kill your baby?  Well, you can tell me because I’ve decided to make my life an open book.  I don’t want to pretend anymore!    

Pretending goes on an awful lot in our churches today.  Many people put on a false front. They use the right “Christian” words, attend church almost every Sunday, and even pray before meals. They pretend they “have it all together” in order to gain the approval of others.  Inside they’re struggling with brokenness, guilt, doubt, or an addiction or other persistent sin.  

God placed us in a body of believers to support one another. What would happen if you admitted you aren’t perfect?  Have you considered seeking the counsel of a godly brother or sister in Christ who has earned your trust?  Take a chance!  Stop pretending!  Don’t hide your sin and cover up, pretending there is nothing wrong.  Instead, confess it and repent.  Be what God intends you to be ~ don’t pretend to be what you’re not.  God will bless your life in ways beyond anything you can imagine.

My two beautiful girls (back in the 80's) that God blessed me with!

MY LAST THEATER GIG?

During the last three theater productions I’ve been involved in since being completely healed  I asked myself at least once this question:  Will this be my last theater “gig”?  Tonight is opening night for my latest theater production; “Shrek the Musical”.  I’m sitting here asking myself that question.  “Will this be my last theater “gig”?  

I love everything about theater, especially musical productions!  When I say everything I mean the tryouts, the rehearsals (especially dress rehearsals), working with fellow actors, the costumes, and of course the experience of being on stage with an audience!  I love moving the audience to tears and laughter.  Musical theater is my absolute favorite kind of stage work, but it can be very “physical” because it usually includes dancing and bigger movements.  My last two shows, and the current one are musical productions; Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler On the Roof, and Shrek the Musical!

My very first show at Centennial High School was “Miracle Worker” about Helen Keller.  My best friend played Helen, and I played her mother.  That was in 1968.  Ten years later in 1978 I was cast in “Music Man” while pregnant with my third baby.  Enoch was born a month early, so I missed opening night.  Taking care of three young children kept me pretty busy the next ten years, but in 1988 I found myself a full-time college student, and once again on the stage.  I played a crazy psychotherapist in the comedy “Beyond Therapy”.  From that point on I auditioned, and was cast in a couple of shows per year in the college theater department.  Fifteen shows were notched on my belt when I became ill with an incurable lung disease, and Sjogren’s Auto-Immune Disorder.  These debilitating illnesses put me out of commission for over eight years.  I didn’t think I would ever experience the joy of stage performing again.  But in 2008 God healed me completely of both the lung disease and the auto-immune disorder!  

It took a couple of years, and a wonderful musical production to bring me out on the stage again.  With great trepidation I auditioned for, and was cast in the college’s 2011 production of “Phantom Of The Opera”.  It was demanding for a fifty nine year old, but what an incredible experience!  A year later a local community theater choose “Fiddler On The Roof” for their 100th anniversary show.  I was selected to play Grandma Tzietel, and had a wonderful time getting to know a new group of fellow thespians.  And now it’s 2013, and I’m the Fairy Godmother in “Shrek The Musical”.  At sixty one years of age the physicality of musical theater is proving again to be very demanding.           

That is why the evening before opening night of “Shrek” I find myself asking, “Will this be my last theater gig?”  I’ve experienced loosing my health rapidly so I know only too well how any number of physical problems could pop up that would hinder me from keeping up with fellow actors in another stage show.  That’s why I’m going to bask in every moment under the stage lights of "Shrek The Musical".  After all, this may be my last theater “gig”.

The musical "Phantom Of The Opera".

I played the "Confidant".

The musical "Fiddler On The Roof".

I played Grandma Tzietel.

"Shrek The Musical"

I'm playing the Fairy Godmother!